CentOS Stream vs Lubuntu
| CentOS Stream | Lubuntu | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Paid from | Free | — |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | Linux, self-hosted | Linux |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Device types | Servers, workstations, cloud instances, and containers | Desktop PCs and laptops; project homepage also mentions Raspberry Pi |
| CPU architectures | CentOS Stream 10: AMD/Intel 64-bit (x86_64_v3), ARM 64-bit (ARMv8.0-A), IBM Power (POWER9), IBM Z (z14) | — |
| Support lifecycle | CentOS Stream 10 maintained until 2030; roughly five-year lifecycle. CentOS Stream 9 end-of-life: 2027-05-31. | LTS releases are supported for three years; interim releases for nine months. Lubuntu 26.04 LTS is listed as supported until April 2029. |
| Built-in management | DNF repositories and package management | — |
| App compatibility | BaseOS and AppStream repositories; RPM packages; Xwayland compatibility layer for legacy X11 applications | Discover Software Center for installing applications; supports common file formats including documents, images, audio, and video |
| Deployment models | Physical-device installation media; cloud images; container images; Vagrant boxes | Installable desktop operating system; downloadable desktop ISO image |
Both are listed in Best Operating Systems. On Inferse, CentOS Stream scores higher on our published basis.